The path from mindfulness to self-esteem: self-concept-clarity and cognitive flexibility as mediators
Current Psychology July 29, 2023 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-023-05016-y (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 204 |
| Population | Predominantly female adults (78.9% female), mean age 31 years |
| Measures | Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Self-Concept Clarity Scale, Cognitive Flexibility Scale |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 19 |
| Key findings | Self-concept clarity and cognitive flexibility partially mediated the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and self-esteem. Self-concept clarity was the strongest predictor of self-esteem (β = 0.47), while cognitive flexibility was weaker but significant (β = 0.16). The regression model explained 56% of the variance in self-esteem. |
Abstract
Abstract Mindfulness is positively associated with self-esteem, yet little is known about possible mediators underlying this relation. In this study, the role of self-concept clarity and cognitive flexibility is examined as potential mediators. A predominantly female (78.9%) sample (N = 204) with a mean age of 31 years participated in a cross-sectional survey. They completed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Self-Concept Clarity Scale, and the Cognitive Flexibility Scale. To examine relations between study variables, a multiple linear regression analysis was conducted, and a parallel mediation model was performed using the Hayes’ process macro. The regression analysis explained 56% of variance in self-esteem, and all study variables were significant predictors, with self-concept clarity as the strongest predictor. The results found support for partial mediation, with self-concept clarity exhibiting a strong association with self-esteem (β = 0.47). The effect of cognitive flexibility was weaker but significant (β = 0.16). Self-concept clarity and cognitive flexibility partially explained the path from dispositional mindfulness to self-esteem. This could indicate an explanatory role of these two factors, and suggests possible processes by which mindfulness may enhance self-esteem.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- The effect of mindfulness group counseling on the anxiety of pregnant women exposed to domestic violence: a randomized clinical trial. BMC Psychology September 29, 2025
- Mindfulness as an Intervention for Self-Regulation and School Reintegration in a Trauma-Informed Primary School Post COVID-19 Lockdown Mindfulness August 1, 2024
Cites 11
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
- Attending to the present: mindfulness meditation reveals distinct neural modes of self-reference Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience August 13, 2007
- Mindfulness-induced selflessness: a MEG neurophenomenological study. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2013
and 6 more in the library